Far East Family Band - Parallel World

 This is a legendary Japanese band, the first line-up included the known synthesizer player KITARO. The FAR EAST FAMILY BAND released a lot of records in the Seventies and Eighties, they sound quite unique (an Eastern sound) with echoes from PINK FLOYD.

The first album "The Cave Down To Earth" from '74 is mostly recommended, it has a spacey and slight psychdelic sound (like early PINK FLOYD) and contains ethnic elements which gives the music an original twist. Another fine album is "Nipponjin" ('75) with a keyboard version of FAR OUT's "Nihonjin" (FAR OUT was the precursor of FEFB). It's in the vein of the debut-album, the climates ranges from bombastic to more mellow. The album "Parallel World" was produced by the famous electronic pioneer KLAUS SCHULZE.

 https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=721

1 - Metempsychosis 0:00 2 - Entering/Times 4:47 3 - Kokoro 20:41 4 - Parallel World 29:52 - Amanezcan - Origin - Zen - Reality - New Lights - In The Year 2000

 Line-up / Musicians

- Fumio Miyashita / lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, flute, producer
- Hirohito Fukushima / electric & slide guitars, electric sitar, mini-harp, percussion
- Akira Ito / Hammond organ, Mellotron, electric piano, synths (Moog, Roland, Korg)
- Masanori Takahashi aka "Kitaro" / organs (Hammond, Korg), Mellotron, synths (Moog, Roland, Korg), electric piano
- Akira Fukakusa / bass
- Shizuo Takasaki / drums, gong

With:
- Klaus Schulze / mixing

FAR EAST FAMILY BAND - The Cave Down To The Earth (1975)

 Founded in Japan in 1972 (initially as "FAR OUT") - Disbanded in 1978

This is a legendary Japanese band, the first line-up included the known synthesizer player KITARO. The FAR EAST FAMILY BAND released a lot of records in the Seventies and Eighties, they sound quite unique (an Eastern sound) with echoes from PINK FLOYD.

The first album "The Cave Down To Earth" from '74 is mostly recommended, it has a spacey and slight psychdelic sound (like early PINK FLOYD) and contains ethnic elements which gives the music an original twist. Another fine album is "Nipponjin" ('75) with a keyboard version of FAR OUT's "Nihonjin" (FAR OUT was the precursor of FEFB). It's in the vein of the debut-album, the climates ranges from bombastic to more mellow. The album "Parallel World" was produced by the famous electronic pioneer KLAUS SCHULZE.

: : : Erik Neuteboom, The NETHERLANDS : : :

 https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=721

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Undiscovered Northern Land (2:53)
2. Birds Flying To The Cave (4:33)
3. The God Of Water (1:53)
4. Saying To The Land (8:22)
5. The God Of Wind (2:21)
6. Moving, Looking, Trying, Jumping (1:40)
7. Wa, Wa (0:48)
8. Mystery Of Northern Space (5:56)
9. The Cave, Down To The Earth (8:18)
10. Four Minds (5:55)
11. Transmigration (11:03)

Total time 53:42

Line-up / Musicians - Hirohito Fukushima / vocals, guitar
- Fumio Miyashita / guitar, keyboards, producer
- Akira Ito / keyboards
- Masanori Takahashi aka "Kitaro" / keyboards, percussion
- Akira Fukakusa / bass
- Shizuo Takasaki / drums

With:
- Mitsuo Miyamoto / string arrangements

 https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3818

Far East Family Band -Far Out (1973)/Nipponjin (1975) (Full Albums)

 

Far East Family Band Biography

by Geoff Orens

Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band featured the keyboardist and future new age composer, Kitaro. A keyboard-dominated space rock band, the Far East Family Band played extended compositions that brought comparisons to Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd.

The group's first album was released under the band name of Far Out. After changing their name, the band released The Cave Down to Earth in 1975. Their first European release, Nipponjin -- Join Our Mental Phase Sound (1975), featured re-recorded versions of material from the previous record and the album attributed to Far Out. The group's next record, Parallel Worlds (1976), was profoundly influenced by Klaus Schulze who Kitaro met on a trip through Europe. With the first track over 30 minutes long, the album bears similarities to Krautrock legends Ash Ra Tempel. Tenkujin (1977) followed and was the band's first and only American release. By this point, the band consisted of Miyashta (vocals, synths, guitars, bamboo flute), Hirohito Fukushima (guitar, vocals, koto), and Yujin Harada (drums, percussion). It would be the band's last record. 

 http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=721

1)Too Many People - 17.00 2)Nihonjin - 19.52 3)Birds Flying To The Cave - 4.36 4)Saying To The Land - 8.27 5)Moving, Looking, Tryihg, Jumping - 1.36 6)Wa Wa - 0.52 7)The Cave Down To The Earth - 8.24 8)Four Minds - 5.58 9)Transmigration - 10.54

 FAR OUT: (then changed name to FAR EAST FAMILY BAND) Voice, Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Synth - Fumio Miyashita Solo guitar, organ - Eiichi Sayu Voice, Bass, Sitar - Kei Ishikawa Drums, Percussion - Manami Arai

Nipponjin 0:02 The Cave 16:51 Undiscovered Northern Land 25:30 Timeless 28:24 The God Of Water 32:49 River Of Soul 34:55 The God Of Wind 43:23 Moovin' Lookin 45:56 Yamato 47:35 Mystery Of Northern Space 48:23

 Line-up / Musician Fumio Miyashita — guitar, keyboards, electric sitar, vocals RIP Masanori Takahashi (Kitaro) — keyboards, percussion Hirohito Fukushima — guitar, vocals Akira Fukakusa — bass Akira Ito — keyboards Shizuo Takasaki — drums